Illinois Ousts Governor
2009年2月1日
Rod Blagojevich became the first U.S. governor in 21 years to be removed from office following a vote by state lawmakers Thursday, nearly two months after he was led from his home in handcuffs by federal authorities on suspicion of influence peddling.
The 59 Illinois senators voted unanimously to oust the two-term Democrat, who was the first Illinois governor to be impeached in the state's 190-year history and the first governor ousted since Arizona's Evan Mecham in 1988. The senators then voted to bar Mr. Blagojevich from public office in Illinois.
Mr. Blagojevich, 52 years old, still faces federal charges of conspiring to use his office to extract campaign contributions in exchange for signing bills or awarding contracts, as well as seeking to sell President Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat. Authorities are building a case from interviews with federal informants and secretly recorded conversations last fall.
Listen to the tapes and read the transcripts.
State senators began their trial hearing Monday without Mr. Blagojevich, who declined to present a defense. He asked permission to give a closing argument Thursday, hours before the vote. Mr. Blagojevich was by turns defiant, impassioned and, briefly, contrite during his 50-minute address. 'I have done absolutely nothing wrong,' he said.
Mr. Blagojevich conceded he had an impatient governing style and 'sometimes I push too much.' He added, 'It is painful to be in a position like this ... it's painful, and it's lonely.'
The ouster of Mr. Blagojevich took effect immediately and thrust Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, a 60-year-old Democrat with a populist style, into the governor's office. Mr. Quinn was sworn in Thursday evening.
DOUGLAS BELKIN / DAVID KESMODEL |
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